Israeli president refuses extension of deadline for new coalition deal

Rejection of request from Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz may plunge country into fourth election in just over a year Israel's president has turned down a request from Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz for a two-week extension to form a new coalition government. The announcement by Reuven Rivlin means that Gantz and the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, have a midnight deadline on Monday to reach a power-sharing deal. If they fail, the country could be forced into a fourth consec...